s coming to me will I place
at your feet. Yours shall be all the power it can command. As my wife
you shall some day be admired and envied by all women."

"Now I know you are deranged!" she declared, also rising. "Any man in
his right mind could not think to win the love of a woman after such a
fashion. Porfias del Norte, that wound has made you a madman!"

"It is love that has made me mad, my Northern flower. Since parting from
you on the crown of Mount Battie, up in Maine, I have thought of you,
and dreamed of you, until you took possession of my whole being. I felt
that I must have you for my own to keep always until death came between
us. I have felt that to have you thus I would face a thousand deadly
perils. To-night I saw you at the dance. Even though your face was
hidden, my heart gave a leap the moment my eyes rested on you. By your
grace I recognized you, yet I was not certain until I found an
opportunity to speak with you. I watched my opening and grasped it the
moment Merriwell left you. Even though I felt that you might discover
my identity and betray me, I ventured to speak with you."

"I believed you dead; otherwise I should have recognized you, even
though you disguised your voice."

"No doubt, senorita. I feared then that you might tell him, and he would
make a move that should baffle me. I spoke to my comrades. Fortune aided
me in the wild plan I quickly formed. He saw them and engaged in
altercation with them, which gave me the opening I sought. You were
again left alone, and in a moment I acted. I carried you away, but in
the struggle your garment of white was torn from you, and it lies in the
canoe that brought us to this spot. I have no doubt that my comrades
will join me soon, and then we shall move again. By daybreak we will be
safely hidden in one of the many safe places known to the Indian who is
with me."

Inza was desperate. She did not know they were on an island, and now her
terror led her, having somewhat recovered her strength, to wheel
suddenly and flee as fast as her feet would carry her. By chance she
struck into the path and came quickly to the shore where lay the canoe,
with Red Ben standing near it.

"Help!" she cried, appealing to him. "Save me! You shall be
paid--anything, anything you ask!"

In her excitement she clutched his arm. He turned toward her a grim,
immovable face. Not a word did he speak in reply.

Del Norte issued from the path and deliberately approached.